Waiting for that Day
by Broedy
Summary: Post season 1 finale. Eli is out of hospital and back at work, but things don't go as smoothly as planned. Eli/Maggie
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

He returned to work when it was safe to assume that he wouldn't be the centre of attention any longer. That, and his vanity prevented him from going back until at least some of his hair had grown in. Eli's arrival was unheralded, just as he requested, and only Jordan's brief welcome at the staff meeting drew any attention to the fact he was back after a life threatening operation. But he _was_ back, and fully functional at that. At the hospital there had been a few frightening minutes of disorientation when he first opened his eyes, barely able to speak. But then Nate had arrived and established that, not only had Eli survived, all his mental faculties were intact. Just what you wanted to hear after waking up from a coma, really.

He recuperated at home alone, turning down Nate's request to stay with him and their mother's insistence that she had his old room waiting for him. He refused Taylor's offer to move back in temporarily to look after him, though she hastily added that she would be alright sleeping on the couch. He said no to all of them as gently and graciously as possible. He didn't want them to put their lives on hold for him, didn't need their fussing over him any more than they already were. He assured them he was looking forward to catching up on a pile of novels he'd wanted to read since graduating college, setting up a Netflix account, and taking walks in the middle of the afternoon. He wanted to reacquaint himself with his kitchen, having given it little use since he moved in. He was determined to learn how to cook more than omelets and reheating takeout.

Eli was ready to rest and recuperate, now that it was all behind him. No more aneurysm. No more visions. No more George Michael songs. The first week he was alert, waiting for any sign of a vision that would prove Dr. Chen had been right all along – that they weren't a symptom of his aneurysm but rather a sign that he was an honest to goodness, modern day prophet. Once, when he heard faint strains of "Too Funky" he felt a familiar sinking feeling, only to discover that the music was coming from his new neighbor who was moving her furniture in. Eli introduced himself and gave her a bottle of wine as a welcoming gift, then casually mentioned how thin the walls could be. There was no more music after that.

By the second week he'd stopped waiting for a vision, and laughed off his vague disappointment that it had been the aneurysm all along. There had been nothing special about them. Instead he turned his attention to sorting out what he was going to do with his life. Prophet or not, the visions had given him a purpose, and Eli was committed to working on only the cases he felt were worthy. Jordan, now free of Marci Klein, had assured him that his position was waiting for him at WPK, and that the library was still vacant. No offer of another office yet, but Eli didn't mind – he would work anywhere.

At the end of week three he was nagging Nate to let him go back to the office. When the answer was a firm no, he cajoled Maggie into bringing work to the apartment instead, and they started a new case she'd come across. It was easy stuff, just pretrial motions to begin with, but he enjoyed having something to do with his time. The cooking hadn't gone so well and he had no patience for reading novels. And there were only so many episodes of 'LOST' you could watch without wanting to throw the remote at the TV. Freaking smoke monster.

So instead Maggie would come over after leaving the office at the scandalous hour of 6PM, and would fill him in on all the WPK gossip while they went through case files. He often wondered if her fiancé minded that she spent most evenings at Eli's apartment, but when he finally mentioned it she dismissed the idea. She would be working at the office if she wasn't at Eli's, and Scott understood that her first few years as a junior associate would mean 70 hour weeks. He was okay with that, Maggie confirmed with a happy smile. Eli didn't have the heart to point out how the first few years quickly slipped to ten, and the partners' expectations of long hours didn't cease. Maggie knew it. If she didn't want to discuss it with her significant other just yet, that was her business.

Eli decided he was going to concentrate on his own doings. He had survived dangerous brain surgery. He had a fulfilling job, friends and family who cared about him, and a new appreciation for the important things in life. For the first time in a long time, Eli Stone's future was looking bright.

0 0 0 0

"Stone, you got a minute?" Matt Dowd asked, popping his head inside the library door.

Eli didn't look up from the legal pad he was writing on. "Is this work related or are you trawling for ways to ingratiate yourself with my ex?"

Matt grinned lasciviously. "We're past that stage, buddy, thanks anyway. That ended when I saw her naked and–"

"You know, I could happily live out the rest of my days without hearing you finish that sentence," Eli said dryly, cutting him off. "What do you need?"

"Got a case I'm looking to offload. It's pretty straightforward – wrongful dismissal. Wouldn't want you to have nothing to do your first day back."

"You know what, I'm all set." Eli motioned to the stack of files he had in front of him which he'd received from colleagues all morning. Apparently they'd been saving up all of the left-field or problem cases just for him. There were more than a few stinkers in the bunch. He didn't need Matt Dowd's cast offs as well.

"Oh well, it was worth a try," Matt replied with a shrug. He paused, still only halfway through the door, and said nothing more until Eli looked up questioningly. "It's good to see you back, Stone. I'm glad that living will didn't need to be enforced."

"Me too. Especially as it was supposed to be iron clad."

"Don't hesitate to call me if you plan to almost die again."

"You bet."

Matt flashed him a brief smile before leaving. Eli watched as he caught up with Taylor outside the library and they stopped to talk, their heads close together. Eli had gotten over his jealousy when it came to the two of them, although it did help that Taylor still denied anything was going on between them. She certainly treated Matt with disdain whenever Eli was in earshot. If they _were_ seeing each other, Eli was quite content to remain in the dark on the sordid details.

He worked for another hour and tried to ignore the stinging in his eyes as he concentrated on his notebook screen. Only a month off and he was having difficulty getting used to it again. Eli decided caffeine was called for. That was one habit he hadn't weaned himself from during his hiatus from the office.

He drew a few stares as he made his way to the kitchen. Some were curious, checking to see if he looked any different. Apart from the shorter hair, he knew he didn't. But there were also greetings from associates and a couple of partners – people who were genuinely pleased to see him back. Eli's cheeks were hurting from smiling so much in thanks. He ducked inside the kitchen and was thankful it was empty, no small talk required.

"Ah, the nectar of the gods," he murmured to himself as he poured an oversized mug of coffee. He took a sip of the familiar strong brew, and sighed contentedly.

"Eli?"

It was Maggie. He was wondering how long it would take her to start fussing over him again. She'd left him on his own for a good 30 minutes – quite an achievement. He looked around to find the source of the voice but couldn't see her.

"Eli?" It was louder this time.

"Maggie?" He checked behind the counter but she wasn't there. The kitchen was empty apart from him. "Where are you?"

"ELI!"

"What?!" he yelled towards the ceiling.

When he looked down again the first thing he noticed was the countertop had changed. It was marble, smooth and cool. He set his coffee mug down, a frown creasing his forehead. He cast his eyes around the room and saw that WPK had disappeared and he was staring at another kitchen entirely.

"Oh no," he breathed. "No, no, no, no..."

He walked slowly around the kitchen feeling the different surfaces... all of it was real. He could see it, smell it, touch it. No one's imagination was this good.

"Eli! Come up here!"

He looked towards the ceiling again. He could hear it too. He knew Maggie's voice when he heard it. But that didn't stop the panic gripping him as he walked slowly into a hallway. He was in a house. He recognized some of the furniture as his own, and guessed that was why his surroundings felt so familiar. It was the only explanation – he had certainly never been inside this house before.

Eli hesitated as he placed a foot on the bottom step of the dark wooden staircase that led to the upper floor. He tried to tell himself it was just a vision, that none of this was happening. But there weren't supposed to be any more visions. The aneurysm was gone. And he was no prophet.

"Eli? Are you there?"

"Coming!" he yelled back before he could stop himself.

After a deep breath he ascended the stairs. He could hear music coming from a room at the back of the house. His steps faltered as he approached the door that stood ajar. Inexplicable fear gripped him in the split second before he opened it, but he swallowed hard and pushed.

"There you are," Maggie said, throwing him a smile.

"Maggie," he said.

"Which one? We need to make a decision." She held up two paint chips.

Eli was puzzled – about all of it, really, but for now he focused on the samples that she held in her hands. "They're both white."

She tilted her head indulgently. "This one is Whisper White and this one is Coconut Cream. They're completely different."

He could only shrug in response. She sighed, exasperated, and went back to consulting the swatches. Eli took a moment to study her unnoticed. She looked the same, at least from the shoulders up. He tried not to dwell on the spaghetti-strapped top she wore or the fact that her bottom half was only covered in boxer shorts. _His_ boxer shorts. He recognized the pattern.

He didn't realize that she had caught him staring until his eyes traveled up her body to the grin on her lips.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

He only gaped, unable to think of what to say.

"Hello? Eli?"

Her hand passed before his glazed eyes.

"Eli? Can you hear me?"

"Huh?" He finally blinked, and realized that she was staring at him with real worry etched on her features.

He was back in the office kitchen. Maggie was standing before him wearing her red dress, not his boxers.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked, her voice catching in her throat. "I called your name half a dozen times and you didn't answer me."

Eli took a deep breath, shaking off what had just happened.

"Sorry," he said calmly, "I was a million miles away. Thinking about our client."

She shook her head slightly as if she didn't believe him. "Are you sure? Maybe you should take it easy."

"I'm fine, Maggie."

"If you came back too quickly I'm sure Mr. Wethersby wouldn't mind if you only worked part time... or we could work out of your apartment again."

"I'm fine right here. Probably should cut down on the caffeine, though," he said lightly. He turned away from her before she could say anything else.

Eli made it back to the library as quickly as he could, managing to avoid Patti who was trying to give him another pile of folders. He pressed his back to the glass door, trying to come to grips with what had happened. The perplexing image of Maggie aside, he was forced to deal with the fact that his visions were back. Eli made a grab for his cell phone that was on the table and left again, heading instinctively for Dr. Chen's.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Breathe deep. Forget all worry," Dr. Chen commanded in a heavy accent.

The middle-aged woman on the examining bed exhaled shakily, flinching before he even placed the first needle. When Eli burst into the room she yelped and clutched her chest.

"I need to talk to you," Eli blurted out, already pacing the room.

"Dr. Chen busy," he snapped, glowering at Eli over his prone client. "Come back one hour."

"It can't wait, Frank," Eli said, lowering his voice.

"Frank?" asked the woman as got up and gathered her handbag.

He made a dismissing gesture with his hand. "This man crazy. He need Dr. Chen help."

"It's fine, I'll wait," the woman stammered, making a bee-line for the door and giving Eli as wide a berth as possible.

"What the hell, man?" demanded Chen after she left, his phony accent gone. "How many times have I told you that you can't just barge in here whenever you..."

He stopped mid sentence. Eli hadn't been to see him for weeks, except to catch up for a beer when he was bored one afternoon during his recuperation. They'd had a pleasant conversation then, mainly about the fact they'd have to find something else to talk about now that Eli was convinced the visions were gone.

"Wait, it happened again, didn't it?" Chen felt a bubble of excitement when Eli just looked at him, defeated. "I knew it! I told you!"

"Great, Frank. That's just what I need, an 'I told you so'."

"I'm sorry, Eli." He tried to smother his smile. "But I said the visions weren't caused by the aneurysm, didn't I?"

Eli sighed as he lay down on the examining table, as much from exhaustion as anything. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"What happened this time? You need help interpreting it?"

"No, interpretation isn't exactly my problem with this one." Eli looked up at the ceiling. "This wasn't supposed to happen. I had the operation."

"It was only going to make a difference if the aneurysm was behind this."

"Great, so I almost died fixing something that didn't change anything at all."

"Well, I told you..." Chen bit his tongue and smiled as he ducked his head.

Eli threw him an appreciative glance that he'd managed to curtail the comment. He sighed again and scratched at his shorn head with both hands.

"I was so sure I was done with them. I didn't have a single vision the whole time I was away from the office. Then – boom – day one and I'm screwed."

"You're looking at this like it's a bad thing, Eli," said Chen. "But think about all the people you've helped. You've clearly got more work to do."

"I don't know about this one," Eli replied quietly. "I don't see what good I can do. I only see how I can hurt people. People who don't deserve to be hurt."

"Are you gonna tell me what you saw?"

Eli thought about it for a moment. He hadn't told Chen everything he'd seen in the previous vision when he'd first seen David Mosley. He had omitted the appearance of Maggie in that future, and the baby. He didn't know why he hadn't mentioned it. He didn't know what to think himself, and it had been easier to just pretend it hadn't happened... especially when Maggie had just gotten engaged. He still struggled with the suspicion that the vision was just a projection of his own confused feelings, however deep he kept them buried.

"Eli? You wanna ride the needle?" Chen prompted when he had not responded.

"Maybe not. Not right now anyway." Eli wasn't quite ready to return to this new development. He suspected it would just confuse matters more.

Chen raised his eyebrows in surprise. When Eli had a vision he came to him so he could see more. For whatever reason, and even Chen couldn't explain it, acupuncture always worked. Eli had never refused it before.

"Okay..." He glanced around his office. "You want some herb tea instead?"

"No thanks." Eli made no move to get up. "I just need a minute, then I'll go."

"Alright, dude."

Eli breathed slowly and deeply, and tried to forget about slim legs disappearing into paisley boxer shorts.

0 0 0 0

He went three days without seeing her again. Not in a vision anyway – Eli couldn't avoid seeing Maggie at the office when they were working on a case together. He was determined to treat her exactly the same. Whatever confusion he felt over what he'd seen would just have to stay unaddressed for now.

Then, just when he was starting to hope it had only been a stupid daydream, it happened again.

He woke early before his alarm went off and rolled over, still half asleep. Instead of finding cool linen he nestled against a warm body. Without even thinking about it he snuggled closer. Her skin was soft and fragrant. Their bodies fit together easily. It felt right. Natural. He didn't even have to open his eyes to recognize her.

Eli felt the low purr of her throat as she stretched her legs languidly. He smiled faintly to himself.

"We should get up," she murmured.

"Mmm."

"The alarm'll go off soon."

He made another indistinguishable noise to voice his disapproval.

"Time to wake up, sleepy."

Eli reluctantly half-opened his eyes, allowing only a slit of grey light in. It was still early. He hugged her a little tighter.

In the recesses of his aneurysm-free brain, Eli knew it wasn't real. But it was a hard fantasy to voluntarily give up. Here there was no fiancé, no reason for them not to be together. The alarm would go off soon. Until then, he just wanted to savor the moment. For a few more minutes he did just that, then he felt her move. She kissed his eyelids softly, then his cheek. When she placed a final kiss on the tip of his nose he blinked his eyes open. Maggie smiled down at him – the beautiful smile that he knew by heart.

The garish buzz of the alarm started as Eli lay on his back, wide awake and staring at the ceiling. After a few seconds he rolled over and switched it off, then flopped back into the middle of his cold, empty bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next morning Eli was sitting in the library with his head in his hands when Maggie pushed through the glass door.

"Good morning," she said chirpily. "Ready to go through these transcripts?"

He groaned in response.

"Ooh, bad night? Or did you just get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" She slipped into a seat next to him and deposited the box of files on the desk with a small thud. When he still hadn't moved her smile disappeared and she touched his shoulder. "Eli, are you feeling okay?"

He dropped his hands and nodded his head, quick to dispel her concern. "I'm fine, I just didn't get much sleep last night."

He heard her sigh of relief and tried to smile, but he just found himself gazing at her.

"That's alright then. I thought maybe the visions were back," she said as she shrugged off her jacket and hung it over the back of her chair.

"Nope. Vision free, me. No more aneurysm, remember?"

"Good."

"Yeah," he replied miserably.

She starting pulling folders from the archive box and it took Eli a few moments to snap out of his thoughtfulness to help her. They worked for a few hours in relative silence, talking only about the work at hand. Maggie disappeared for most of the afternoon to second chair a case for Taylor, but Eli stayed in the library. Concerned that any relocation could trigger another vision, he decided to stay put and see if that helped.

He slipped out of the library towards the end of the day for only his second bathroom break and saw that Maggie was back when he reentered. She was on her cell with her back to him so he hesitated by the door, not wanting to interrupt but curious nonetheless.

He knew it was Scott by the way she tilted her head – he'd seen it before. The hand on her hip was a new gesture, one that could be interpreted a number of different ways. He was staring at her, pondering this, when she turned around and caught him. With a frown creasing her brow she quickly ended the conversation.

"Okay, I have to go," she said, glancing away from Eli once more. "Yes ... We'll talk about it then ... Promise ... Okay, I really have to go. Bye."  
Maggie walked around the other side of the desk and settled into her old seat.

"How was court?" Eli asked, remaining on his side of the table.

"Fine. We're adjourned until the end of next week." Her voice was more clipped than usual.

"If you have to go, it's okay. With the continuance it's not like we have to rush the rest of these motions."

Maggie looked up at him, then her eyes came to rest on her cell phone. "It's fine. It's just... Scott's at a bit of a loose end. All his friends are back in Ohio… But he started his new job so it won't take him long to meet people."

Eli often wondered how she always managed to see the positive in every situation. It was annoying and refreshing at the same time. He took a seat opposite her.

"Maybe with the adjournment on the Walters case and our continuance you can take the weekend off," he ventured. "You and Scott could get away somewhere."

He didn't exactly know why he had even brought it up. Part of him didn't want her to go off and have a romantic weekend with her fiancé. But the other part – the frustratingly vocal one – felt better for saying it, thanks to the unsettling nature of his visions. He couldn't ignore the guilt he felt for having them, as if he'd already committed the actions that would see Maggie end up with him instead of Scott.

"There isn't an imminent natural disaster I should be aware of, is there?" she asked not at all seriously.

He gave her a sarcastic smile. "I told you. No more visions for me." Not that kind, anyway.

"I have some depositions I'd like to go over again," she said, shrugging off his suggestion. She began leafing through a legal pad. "Taylor's going to let me take a couple of the witnesses next week and I want to be prepared."

"I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Let's hope Taylor thinks so."

"Well, you did learn from the best," he said, stretching his arms above his head.

"She is pretty amazing in court, isn't she?" Maggie replied wryly.

"Okay, I'll give you that. Taylor's incredible."

Eli smiled to himself as he recollected the few occasions they'd gone up against each other in court. Taylor certainly was formidable in the heat of a judicial sparring match. When Maggie hadn't said anything for several seconds he looked up and caught her frowning at him again.

"What?"

"Nothing," she replied quickly. Her expression remained concerned, and he only had to wait a few moments before she couldn't hold it in any longer. "It's just... I know it's none of my business what goes on between you and Taylor, but… Well, you've heard the rumors, right? About Matt Dowd and her."

"Rumors? You mean the one where they slept together? Yeah, I heard it. Directly, actually."

"Not that. Everyone knows that," she said dismissively. "But they've grown a lot closer recently. Apparently in a more than just work colleagues having a drunken one night stand kind of way."

"Oh, that."

"Are you okay?" she asked, really worry in her voice.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, she was your fiancée, and now..."

"I broke up with her," Eli reminded her.

"But what about now..." Maggie paused, having difficulty bringing it up. "I mean, if you broke up with her because of your aneurysm, well, it's no longer an issue, is it?"

"Who told you that?"

"No one." She dropped her eyes to the table and murmured something about office gossip.

"There was more to it than that," he replied. "Taylor and I are over. I'm fine with her dating or whatever she's doing with Matt. Thank you for your concern."

Maggie didn't look as if she believed him, but Eli was impatient to change the topic of conversation.

"You know you never told me much about you and Scott."

She frowned, puzzled this time. "You never asked before."

"That's true," he conceded. He tried to be casual about it, doodling absently on the paper in front of him. "So... how did you meet?"

"College. Freshman year."

"No kidding."

"Yep, college sweethearts."

"Wow, that's... wow." Eli scribbled some more. "So, why study law in California?"

"If you had a choice between USC and Ohio State, which would you choose?"

"I don't know, I got into Stanford."

"Rub it in, why don't you," she said. "Anyway, it's a long story."

"I thought you didn't have someplace else to be."

A faint smile appeared. "I don't. I just thought we were working."

"I can multitask."

"Why are you suddenly so curious about Scott?"

He didn't miss the hint of defensiveness in her voice. "I'm not... I was curious about you."

A warm blush appeared on Maggie's cheeks as she decided how to respond. She kept her eyes on the paper in front of her. "We've been working together for nearly a year. Why now?"

"I guess..." Eli tore his gaze from her, losing his nerve. "Never mind."

"Tell me," she demanded quietly, her expression suddenly grave.

"I just wanted to make sure… make sure you're happy."

She smiled again, but it was tinged with something else. "I am."

"Good." He cleared his throat noisily and shuffled a few more papers. "Because that's what I want for everyone. It's my new positive outlook on life."

"I wasn't aware you were a pessimist before."

"Well, maybe not," he said, "but there's optimism and then there's having a near-death experience. It gives you a new frame of reference."

The mood was broken, and Eli breathed a sigh of relief.

"If you say so," she said, going back to her notes.

He chanced a last glance at her bowed head before pulling himself together and focusing on his work.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Eli spent his Saturday playing the dutiful son. His mother had been pestering him to spend more time with her, even though he was back at work already. Nate begged off, citing work, so Eli found himself cleaning out the garage alone. She had decided that a spring clean was in order, and for most of the day she reminisced with Eli as they sorted through old boxes from his childhood. He didn't mind, really. His childhood had been less than perfect, thanks to his father's erratic behavior, and the least his mother deserved was remembering the good parts.

When it was time to go, however, she decided the boxes had to go too. And while he was at it, she added, he could take Nate's old possessions as well. It was time to reclaim her garage, apparently.

Eli struggled with two of the boxes as he navigated the main doors to Nate's apartment. He used his foot to bang on the door instead of knocking, cursing the fact his brother had so many high school trophies that weighed a ton.

"Eli, what are you doing here?" said Nate, surprised.

"Delivering your childhood memories. Here you go." Eli shoved the boxes into Nate's arms and pushed past him into the apartment. "I need a beer."

He walked to the kitchen to help himself but stopped in his tracks when Beth emerged from the bedroom, reattaching an earring. Eli looked between her and Nate and shook his head.

"I don't believe it," he said darkly.

Nate's mouth dropped open, as did Beth's, as they started to stammer awkwardly.

"Eli, I thought you were okay with this…" Nate said.

"I thought you knew everything. You told me he knew everything," said Beth, rounding on Nate.

"Oh, I knew," Eli replied, also staring at his brother. "I just can't believe you would stoop to this."

"Wha-?"

"You lied to your mother so you could stay home and have sex with your girlfriend? I'm very disappointed in you, Nathan."

Nate's face relaxed when he realized Eli was just making fun of him.

"Jealous, more like," he replied. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"I just spent the day in Mom's stuffy garage reliving your athletic triumphs and my grade school attempts at artistic expression. Hell yes, I'm jealous."

Eli continued his quest for a beer while Nate and Beth shared a smile.

"You guys want one?"

"Actually I have to take off. See you later, Eli," Beth called out, already making for the door.

"You don't have to go because of me," Eli said, emerging from the kitchen. "Really, guys, I'm okay with the two of you dating. I'm evolved. Enlightened, even."

"I have to pick Ben up from group. I'll see you soon."

"Bye." Eli watched as Nate walked her to the door, and then ducked into the hall to kiss her goodbye.

"Seriously, though," he said when Nate returned, "you owe me one. When it's time to do the attic it's all on you."

Nate accepted a beer from him, grinning.

"Soooo," said Eli, in his best ready for gossip voice. "How's Beth?"

"Beth is... great," Nate replied. His smile did not fade. "Beth is amazing."

"Ugh."

"You asked.

Eli took a seat at the breakfast bar. "So what are we talking about here? Just having fun like all the hot nurse hookups you've had before, or is this something else?"

"This is something that's none of your business, little brother." Nate took a seat beside him. "We're taking things slowly, if you must know. Beth's concerned about too much change not being good for Ben, and with the hours I put in at the hospital, it's not exactly conducive to an easy home life."

"That sounds entirely reasonable. And sensible. When did you get so old?"

"Ha! You're one to talk. Have you got anything going on at the moment?" Nate didn't even wait for him to reply. "No, you don't. You've been alone since you pushed Taylor away."

"It was a little more complex than that and you know it."

"I'll say. She was at the hospital every day when you were out of it. That woman still loves you."

Eli shook his head. "We're just friends. We still care about each other. Besides, she's already moved on."

"Then why aren't you doing the same?" Nate persisted. "You're a vaguely good looking guy with a great job and a brain that doesn't leak anymore. Surely there must be someone out there who you could trick into dating you. What about that cute little associate? Your Ms. Dekker?"

Eli's took a long sip of his beer. "She's not mine."

"There has to be someone you're interested in, Eli! I know the breakup with Taylor was rough, but you have to get back out there. Go... sow your wild oats."

"Did you just use the term 'sow your wild oats'? You really are getting old."

"You've got to get _laid_, little brother. That's all I'm saying," Nate said emphatically.

"Thanks for that sage advice. I knew I could count on you."

"I mean it. You just stared death in the face and walked away from it. You knew the risks going into that surgery... there but for the grace of God and an excellent neurosurgeon, who I found by the way, you could be a vegetable right now, or worse. You have to live a little."

"I'll keep that in mind." Eli scratched at the bottle label, his joking mood rapidly dissipating when his thoughts returned to Maggie and all of the associated confusion about her that he was experiencing.

"Actually I am thinking about making a change... maybe repainting my apartment," Eli said. "Or just the bedroom. I don't know."

"Wow. Hot."

"Shut up."

Nate chuckled to himself as he got up and started sorting through his boxes. Eli watched him for a while, contemplating talking to him about the visions that had recurred. It would be an awkward conversation, now there was no aneurysm for Nate to think of as the root cause. The visions were coming from some other place. And while Nate had struggled to believe in them, Eli knew that his brother would tell him to get his head out of his ass about Maggie if he knew what he'd been seeing recently. Visions or not, if there was something between them Nate would say he had to try.

Eli definitely decided against saying anything to him.

0 0 0 0

He stood in line at Starbucks the following Monday before work. He wouldn't admit to himself that he was avoiding the WPK kitchen in case it suddenly became his kitchen of the future. Instead he pretended it was the double shot espresso macchiato that had him coming to Starbucks every morning since that vision. And he needed coffee if he was going to remain alert. He'd decided that if he concentrated hard enough, focused on his work and didn't allow himself to be distracted by her presence, then maybe the visions would go away. It was worth a try anyway.

He was still three back in the queue when he spied Nate sitting at one of the tables. Eli peered between the line of people and saw that Beth was with him, leaning in as they spoke in low tones. He was about to call out a greeting when he heard the music. The opening strains were familiar, but he didn't recognize the tune until Nate started singing.

"_Imagine me and you, I do_," he sang to Beth, but Eli heard him clearly. The music filled the store.

_"I think about you day and night  
It's only right  
To think about the girl you love  
And hold her tight  
So happy together..."_

The new voice, when he heard it, came from the other side of the crowded Starbucks. Eli craned his neck and saw Matt and Taylor holding hands over their table. Matt was crooning to her.

_"If I should call you up, invest a dime  
And you say you belong to me  
And ease my mind  
Imagine how the world could be  
So very fine  
So happy together..."_

Eli groaned inwardly when both men got to their feet, their voices rising in unison.

_"I can see me lovin' nobody but you  
For all my life  
When you're with me baby the skies'll be blue  
For all my life..."_

The other patrons were swaying to the music, and parted to allow both couples to move towards Eli as the refrain was sung. Then the four of them – Nate, Beth, Matt and Taylor, separated as another voice was heard. It was Maggie. Vision Maggie, actually, but Eli didn't care about such distinctions at that moment.

"_Me and you and you and me_," she purred.  
_  
"No matter how they toss the dice  
It had to be  
The only one for me is you  
And you for me  
So happy together..."_

She was singing directly to him, her gaze burning into his. Everyone else was forgotten as the whole store joined in the chorus. Eli only had eyes for Maggie. She was beautiful. Sexy. Everything he could possibly desire, at least in this fantasy version. He felt it down to his toes.

_"Me and you and you and me  
No matter how they toss the dice  
It had to be  
The only one for me is you  
And you for me  
So happy together  
So happy together  
So happy together..."_

Eli found himself joining in as the words echoed in his mind.

"_Ba ba ba baaah, ba ba ba baaah_," he sang under his breath. He closed his eyes and lost himself in the beat and thoughts of Maggie. When he opened them again he saw the cashier looking at him strangely. The people waiting in line had all stepped away a few feet.

"Can I take your order, sir?" she asked uncertainly.

Eli pretended nothing was out of the ordinary, covering for his odd behavior. He was getting quite good at that. He scratched his neck as he studied the menu board, then ordered his usual.

"Decaf," he added as an afterthought. "Better make that decaf."

0 0 0 0

_A/N: The song's on YouTube if you like The Turtles: /watch?vgkVM-jGNn04_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Okay, this is getting ridiculous," Eli said when he entered Dr. Chen's office.

"Hello to you too, Eli," Chen replied patiently.

Eli bristled with frustration and bewilderment that brought palpable tension to the otherwise calm surroundings of Chen's place.

"I take it your vision last week wasn't a one off?"

"Oh no. That would make life not nearly complex enough. No, I keep getting them. And there was singing."

"Yeah? George Michael?"

"The Turtles, actually, but that really doesn't matter. What am I going to do about this?"

"It might help if you actually told me what you're seeing."

Eli sighed, then proceeded to recount each vision of Maggie, starting with the one with the baby. When he was finished, Chen sat back in his seat and let out a breath.

"Not exactly a puzzle to solve, are they?" he said. "I mean, your visions aren't always quite so literal."

"I still need to know what to do, Frank."

"I'd say it's pretty obvious."

"It's anything but obvious," Eli said, annoyed. "She has a fiancé."

"Not in the future, apparently."

"So how does she go from having a fiancé to wearing my underwear?"

"You're asking me?"

Eli started pacing. "Yes! I mean, am I supposed to instigate something? Forge my own future based on what I've seen? What about Scott? She's happy now. I can't destroy that. Or if I do nothing and leave it up to God or fate or whatever… what if it doesn't happen? What if the sheer act of doing nothing changes everything I've seen, with who knows what effect?"

"Which question do you want me to answer there?"

Eli ignored him. "And how do I even know that what I may or may not be feeling isn't just brought on by this little fantasy life I keep imagining?"

"You think you're craving a little female company and that's what's behind the visions?"

"As my brother likes to remind me, I haven't been with anyone since Taylor."

Chen pondered this. "A libido-induced vision? Kind of sticks it to God, don't you think?"

"What if there is no God and it's just my pathetic loneliness causing them?"

"Is picking out paint colors really your idea of a sexual fantasy? If it is, good luck. Whatever floats your boat, dude."

"Fine, maybe what I may or may not be feeling is just borne of jealousy, now she's engaged to someone else. And the visions are just fueling these alleged feelings."

"And what are they exactly, these feelings you may or may not have?"

Eli wasn't about to be tricked into responding to that one. "Never mind."

"I think you have a lot of questions, Eli. And there's only one place you can go to look for answers. Time to go back to the future, man."

"Please don't go all mad scientist on me."

"It's time to ride the needle."

Eli's shoulders fell. He had been avoiding the visions all week, and now Chen was going to make him face them head on. He knew he was right, but that didn't stop the nervous fluttering in his stomach. Chen waved him onto the table and readied the needles.

With a careful tap on the centre of Eli's forehead, the acupuncture needle went in and he was no longer in Chen's office. He was walking through the front door of the house – their house. He dropped the briefcase he was carrying in the foyer.

"Eli, is that you?"

The voice came from the kitchen. He knew the way. Somehow, he knew every corner of the house.

Maggie was standing behind the kitchen bench sorting through mail when he came in. There was a glass of wine in front of her.

"Hi, sweetie." She beamed at him and poured him a glass too.

Eli stammered a hello back, accepted the wine and forced himself not to swallow it all in one go.

"Well, aren't you going to ask me how my first day was?" she asked.

"Ah, how was your first day?"

"Great! Look…" She handed over a business card with her name and a new firm's details underneath. "I'm official."

Eli nodded to show he was impressed, but unsure what to say. "I bet it was different from WPK."

"I'll say. But I like it. I can spend time on my cases. Actually help people."

"I thought we were already doing that."

"We were, you know we were," she replied. "But this is just for me. To prove I can do it on my own."

"I always knew you could." Eli heard the sincerity of his words and was surprised how deeply he felt it.

"I know. That's part of the reason I knew I could get this job. Although Taylor's recommendation did help."

She held up her glass and they clinked them together in a toast.

"Here's to your first day," he offered.

"Thank you," she smiled and went to take a sip before adding, "Oh, I ordered in from Jerry's. It'll be here soon."

"Oh yeah? I love their eggplant lasagna."

Maggie smiled indulgently. "I know. You've only ordered it every single time we've been there. I wouldn't be much of a wife if I couldn't remember that, now would I?"

Eli was drinking as she spoke, and kept the glass to his lips while he digested her words. He gulped down the wine, draining the glass. When he replaced it on the counter Maggie was staring at him in bemusement.

"Hard day?"

"A little more so than usual."

Maggie went back to sorting the mail, tutting at the invitations to take out new credit cards. Eli just watched her, feeling a calm wash over him. He knew it wasn't the wine.

"What?" she said when she saw him staring.

"Nothing, it's just… I guess it'll be weird not seeing you at the office every day."

Maggie set the mail down and sidled around the bench to stand in front of him.

"Maybe not, but you still get to see me every night at home." She ran her hands up his chest and kissed him tenderly. When she pulled away he was still gazing at her with an unreadable expression.

"What?" she asked again with a quiet laugh. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

"I have no idea… but for once I don't mind."

He didn't care that it was just a vision. She was here, in his arms. He smelled her perfume and saw the light dancing in her eyes. Even if it was just a fantasy, it was real to him in that moment.

Eli always thought of himself as risk averse. Crazy behavior caused by visions aside, he had always been fairly straight laced and sensible his whole life. But now, in the midst of a vision, divine or just a manifestation of his own design, for once he seized the moment and kissed her. Properly, as if it was his last.

He couldn't do it to the real Maggie, she was spoken for. This was his only chance. He hoped to feel nothing, that it would just be any old kiss. But in a flash he felt and saw everything that was Maggie – the way her brow crinkled when she was confused about something, the sound of her laughter, the look she gave him when she believed him about the earthquake vision, the tear that slipped down her cheek when she saw him for the first time after he woke from the coma. He felt it all.

And in that moment Eli knew everything had changed.

0 0 0 0

With a rush he found himself back in Chen's office. Eli gasped with the abruptness with which he'd been pulled back, his lips still tingling. Chen hovered over him.

"You alright? What did you see?"

Eli just shook his head. He wasn't ready to talk about it, or the revelation. He got up quickly and bolted for the door.

"Wait! How's your vision girlfriend?"

"Oh, she's my wife now," Eli replied.

"Wow, you move quickly." But Chen was talking to an empty room.

0 0 0 0

He walked the last few blocks to the office, after getting the cab driver to drop him off. Figuring the fresh air could do him good, he kept his eyes on the pavement and focused on the rhythmic staccato of his shoes hitting the ground. By the time he got back to WPK he was feeling ready to face her.

She was in the library waiting for him. With a quick glance at his watch he realized she had probably been there for over an hour because they were supposed to be finishing their pretrial motions. The apology was already out of his mouth before he sat down and looked over at her. Her large eyes were red and she sniffed quickly, returning her attention to her notebook.

"What is it? Are you alright?" he asked in a low but concerned voice. He couldn't ignore the tightening of his chest at the sight of her upset.

"Everything's fine. You're late."

"I know, I'm sorry. Maggie, what's wrong?" he persisted.

"Nothing, honestly."

"I can see it's not nothing."

Without thinking he placed his hand over hers but she pulled away as if it burned. She got up to replace a book on the shelves and kept her back to him. He knew he should drop it, but he couldn't stop himself. He followed her into the corner of the library.

She didn't turn around until he gently guided her by the shoulder. Her eyes were brimming with tears but they did not fall. He hated seeing her like this, it was making him feel sick.

"You can tell me," he said quietly. "If I can help I will."

"I can't. You can't," she replied, shaking her head sadly. "I'll be fine."

He pulled her into an embrace, anything to make her feel better. She her arms tightened around his back for a brief moment before she pulled away. Planting a smile on her face she reiterated her earlier statement.

Eli brushed a tear from her cheek with his thumb. At his touch her smile disappeared and her gaze became almost pleading. Eli held his breath. She had never looked that way at him before, not like she could see his very soul. It frightened and exhilarated him all at once.

This was no vision. She was really here, standing in front of him with a look of such longing that Eli thought he might burst. Then he stopped thinking and shifted his mouth towards hers. He felt her warm breath on his lips before she turned away, her eyes downcast.

"I can't do this," she whispered. "I can't do this to Scott."

Eli felt like she had punched him in stomach when she looked up at him. He nodded slightly and took a step away from her.

"I'm sorry," he said.

She said nothing, but wiped at her eyes as she moved past him. He thought she would be straight out the door but instead she began sorting through her numerous files on the table, attempting to put them in order.

"I mean it, Maggie, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," he said.

"You didn't do anything. Besides, I'm the one with the fiancé."

Eli wished she would stop mentioning him, it just made him feel worse. "What do we do now?"

"Now we get to work on these pretrial motions. We need to lodge them by Thursday."

She sat down and got back to work, and Eli had no choice but to follow suit.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

They spent the rest of the afternoon working in silence. As soon as he could politely get away, Eli mumbled an excuse about needing to confer with a colleague. He hid out in the conference room and worked with Patti for a while, but when she finally yelled at him for not listening to what she had been saying for 10 whole minutes, it was time to call it a day. He decided against finding Maggie to let her know he was leaving.

He kept his cell off. Hibernation held strong appeal for him. Eli decided he would order a pizza and watch whatever old movies were showing on the We channel. That would make him feel better. And just to prove Nate wrong he wouldn't even microwave any popcorn.

Dr. Chen had other ideas. He showed up at Eli's apartment that night laden with a shopping bag full of ingredients and told him he was cooking dinner.

"Baked vegetable ratatouille – it's a Lebokowski family specialty."

"Of course it is," said Eli.

He stood back to allow Chen in. So much for being alone wallowing in his own misery.

"A healthy body makes for a healthy mind, Eli," Chen said as he went about unpacking the groceries.

"Yeah, I'm sure a bad diet has been my problem all this time."

Eli watched as he started chopping up vegetables but he stayed silent. Chen didn't push him to start talking until the ratatouille was in the oven.

"So?" he prompted.

"So what?"

"Are we gonna talk about what's going on?"

Eli shrugged.

"You can try and avoid this all you want, Eli, but you know the visions will only persist until you face up to it. That's how it's always worked before."

"Before it was about a case. Helping someone."

"Maybe you're supposed to be helping yourself with this one."

"And it doesn't matter that I'd be setting out to destroy someone else's relationship?"

"No one said love was easy, Eli."

"No one said love in this scenario either, Frank," Eli said pointedly.

"Of course, you're right. I'm sure you just want to be BFF with her."

"What, are you 12?"

"Are you?" Chen countered. "You're the one denying what you're feeling."

"It's complicated."

"It usually is."

Eli crossed his arms defensively. "I almost kissed her today."

"Yeah?" Chen grinned.

"Almost being the operative word. We both knew it was wrong, and now I don't know what I feel."

"Okay. Let's think about it this way. If Maggie were single would you want to be with her?"

"She's not single," Eli said.

"Pretend she was." When Eli widened his eyes in exasperation at the silliness of the conversation, Chen tried again. "Think of it as a hypothetical, Councilor. Argue your case."

Eli nodded, thinking it might actually help. "Okay… Okay. Here we go… Reasons why Maggie and I being together is a bad idea… Firstly, we work together. It's awkward and people gossip, and it wouldn't be good for either of us, especially Maggie. No first year associate can face her peers if she's involved with a senior associate, they'd resent her in a heartbeat. Not to mention the impropriety of it – she's junior to me in the firm. Secondly, she can be annoying, needy, naïve… everything that is gut wrenchingly frustrating when you're trying to win a case, let alone having a relationship with someone. She can talk underwater, makes you feel guilty for using styrofoam cups from the coffee place, she continually asks questions, and last month she stole my parking spot which, even though I don't have a car and I'm not using it, is still aggravating."

Chen looked bemused. "Is that all?"

"No." Eli's mouth grew tighter. "When I do something to disappoint her, she gives me this look and it hits me – right here." He jabbed his fingers into his chest. "I see myself through her eyes sometimes and I don't like what I see. I'm trying to change and I'm doing a pretty damn good job of it. I don't need that kind of added pressure."

"I guess it's a moot point, then, if there are no pros to all these cons."

Eli let out a snort, his face softening. "Of course there are. She's Maggie."

Chen said nothing, he just waited for Eli to continue.

"Her smile lights up her whole face, and she goes from being pretty to the kind of beautiful that takes your breath away. She believes in me, accepts me for who I am, crazy visions and all. She's there for me when I need her, and even when I don't realize that I do. Even when I push her away. She's unflinching and funny and kind… She's Maggie."

"And you still maintain you're not interested in her?" Chen said kindly.

Eli looked down, unable to answer.

"You're not a bad guy if you go after what you want, Eli. Nobody is that selfless. You said it yourself, what if it's supposed to happen that way? Your visions have been right before. Why can't you trust that?"

"I don't want to hurt her, and I'll confuse things by doing something stupid like declaring myself to her. All it will do is throw everything into chaos."

"From chaos comes calm. From conflict comes peace."

"Is that Zen?"

"No, that's Chen." He did his best Dr. Chen bow.

Eli grinned, but the expression soon faded.

"You have to make a decision, Eli. One way or the other. Decide what it is you're feeling and then tell her."

"I know," he replied, frowning. "I know."

0 0 0 0

He woke with a start. The clock on his bedside table read 4:03AM but Eli picked up the phone anyway.

"'Lo?" came a sleepy voice on the other end.

"Frank, it's Eli."

"What? What the hell? What time is it?"

"It's early. Listen, you once told me that everything has two explanations – the scientific and the divine." There was no response. "Do you remember?"

"Of course. I just can't believe you do… And that you have the power of speech this early in the morning."

"I did pay attention. At least, I tried. But no matter how much I struggled with the divine element when it came to my visions, there was always the scientific."

There was another pause on Chen's end. "And now without the scientific…"

"Can there be the divine?" Eli finished for him.

"What are you saying, Eli? That these weren't visions at all?"

Eli gripped the phone tighter. "No, that's not what I mean. But I know now."

"Know what?"

"I know what it all means. What I need to do." Without further explanation Eli let the phone drop from his ear and disconnected the call.

0 0 0 0

"You want me to what?" asked Nate.

"Test me again," Eli said.

"You don't need another MRI, Eli. It was all clear. The aneurysm's gone. Dr. Rajapaksa has ordered a routine follow up in six months to be on the safe side, but…"

"Please, Nate. Just do it."

"You're fine, little brother. No more visions, right?" Nate looked at him hopefully but when there was no response the expression faded. "God, they're back?"

Eli nodded. Nate looked down at his brother's patient file on his desk while he contemplated this.

"What makes you think it's the aneurysm? I thought you believed they were caused by more than that."

"Maybe I do. But I need to be sure. You're a doctor, you should understand why."

Nate shook his head. "The operation worked, Eli."

"Then the MRI will be clear, won't it? We'll know for sure if this prophet stuff means anything."

"I can't just send you in to have an MRI. The machine's in use all day."

"I'll wait."

"You're not going to let this go, are you? Alright." It was clear he was skeptical, but Nate got up to make the arrangements. He paused at the door.

"For what it's worth, I think maybe there is something to this prophet stuff. Everything I've learned, everything I know… that should be the only explanation I need. But now… let's just say you've made a believer out of me."

Eli smiled faintly, but it didn't make him feel any better. He had to know for sure.

0 0 0 0

Eli waited in Nate's office while his brother personally collected the test results. His leg bounced up and down as the minutes ticked by. He tried to stop checking his watch.

"Nervous?"

Eli looked over at Maggie who was there beside him, squeezing his hand. It was vision Maggie again, the one he was seeing almost as much as the real one these days. But he felt immediately calmer in her presence.

"I've gotten used it," he said.

"Well I haven't." Her lips were pressed into a firm line. "This is supposed to be the most natural thing in the world. It's not supposed to be so hard."

"It'll be alright, Maggie."

She smiled in appreciation at the reassuring words. But the panic returned to her face when the door clicked open and the figure in a white coat entered. The dark-haired doctor looked up from the folder she was carrying and her eyes passed between Eli and Maggie.

"Well?" Maggie breathed.

"You were right," she said, grinning.

Maggie gasped and immediately threw her arms around Eli, holding on tight.

"Third time's the charm," the doctor went on. "You're only four weeks along but it's looking good. You aced the blood work."

"I studied hard," Maggie joked as she let him go, her eyes shining.

"You know the drill, Maggie. I'll want to see you again in a couple weeks, just to make sure everything's alright. And you call me before then if you need to."

"We will."

Maggie grasped Eli's hand again, seemingly unconcerned he was sitting there in a stunned silence. Her eyes sought his and she beamed.

"I knew it was going to work this time."

He smiled automatically back at her. "Me too."

She leaned in to kiss him, her face glowing with happiness. She had never looked more beautiful to him.

"We did it," she whispered.

There was the sound of another door opening. Eli looked over as Nate came into the room. Even though he knew she wouldn't be there anymore he still glanced to his side and felt a wave of disappointment.

Nate's eyes remained fixed on the folder in his hands as he walked over to take a seat beside Eli. When he finally met his brother's eyes, his expression was defeated. Eli just nodded.

Nate took another long moment, then cleared his throat. "It's back."

"I know."

"Yeah, you did, didn't you?" Nate swallowed hard. "I still don't understand how. The likelihood for an aneurysm to recur like this is–"

"I don't need the statistic, Nate," Eli said, interrupting him.

"We always knew it could…"

"Just not this soon," Eli finished for him.

"This doesn't mean it's worse, or that you're in any more danger than you were before."

"It's a potential time bomb in my brain. You don't need to talk about danger."

Nate slumped back into the chair.

"At least it explains my visions," Eli said in an attempt at levity.

His brother offered him a half-hearted smile. "You'll be gainfully employed then. The cases will find you, right?"

"Nah, this one wasn't about a case."

"What was it about?"

Eli was staring into space. "A fantasy, that's all. A future that will never be."

"Don't talk that way, Eli. I'll call Dr. Rajapaksa. Maybe if we try again…"

"No," said Eli firmly. "No more operations."

Nate didn't protest, knowing it was probably too risky anyway.

"I have to go." Eli laid a hand on Nate's shoulder as he stood to leave, giving it a squeeze.

"Wait, do you want to talk later? I could come over."

"No, I think I need to be alone for a while. I'll call you."

When he was gone Nate snapped and threw the test results onto his desk. The paper fluttered to the floor but he made no attempt to pick it up.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

He sat in his apartment in the dark, hadn't moved from the sofa since sunset. The ambient light from outside cast strange shadows around him, and suited his dark mood. Eli was having to adjust to the fact that the aneurysm had returned, when he'd barely had enough time to come to grips with it being gone. He felt lost. Torn between one life and the other that felt like it was slipping away.

Eli knew only one thing. He wanted to be alone. It was the only way he could deal with the situation. Some might call it hiding, but that would be too simple an explanation. He knew first hand what this news did to people he cared about, how it changed the way they felt about him, and about themselves. He didn't just want it, he needed to be alone.

So it was with an overwhelming feeling of annoyance that he listened to the knocking on his door. He had told Nate not to come over. He'd ignored the message his brother had left on his cell reiterating the offer. He decided to ignore him but the knocking was persistent. Eli reached over tiredly and turned on a lamp, squinting against the brightness. Shuffling to the door, he didn't bother to check the peep hole so he wasn't prepared to see Maggie on his doorstep.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi." His voice caught in his throat and he realized how dry his mouth was.

Maggie tried to smile but she was doing a poor job of it. "You didn't come in today."

"No. I took a personal day."

"Is it because..." She didn't finish, her eyes dropping to the middle of his chest.

"No," he replied quietly, blocking out what it felt like when he almost kissed her the day before. "There was something I needed to take care of."

"Oh." She looked relieved, if a little nervous.

He stopped blocking the door and apologized awkwardly as he stepped back so she could enter. For a moment she hesitated and he wondered if she would turn around and leave, but then she took a few steps inside the apartment and turned around to face him.

"I hope you don't mind me just showing up like this."

Eli shook his head, and was determined to act as if everything was normal. "Did you need to go over something? I'll finish those motions tomorrow… we still have time before they need to be filed."

"No. I finished them today."

"Oh. Thanks."

Eli's eyes darted around the apartment as their conversation ground to a halt once more. He was trying to work out how to politely ask what the hell she wanted when she saved him the trouble.

"I'm not here because of work, Eli," she blurted out.

He'd been afraid of that. Eli couldn't ignore the panic which had started to grip him. "Can it wait, Maggie? Because I have had a really bad day, and I don't know how much more I can take."

He walked past her towards the couch but kept going to the other side of the room, putting enough distance between them so he could trust himself to not try and kiss her again. It was becoming increasingly difficult as she kept staring at him.

"Scott and I broke up," she said without further preamble.

He stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around to face her. It took him a moment to digest the news, to feel the moment of exhilaration that soon settled into one of intense guilt.

"Why did you do that?" he asked, finally looking at her.

"What do you mean?" she stammered.

Eli took a few steps forward as he spoke earnestly. "It's not too late. Go home and fix it right now. If this is about what almost happened with us… it was a mistake, Maggie. I shouldn't have done it. Don't throw away a good thing because of a moment of weakness."

Maggie gaped at him, then her lips pressed into a firm line. Her eyes blazed. "Don't tell me that's what it was. Don't pretend it was nothing. I was there."

"I'm telling you it was a mistake."

"And before? You kissed me once before. After everything we've been through together, Eli, are you saying there's nothing between us? That it's all a mistake?"

"Yes."

"You're lying," she persisted.

"Nothing is going to happen here. It can't," he said firmly. He held her gaze as steadily as he could.

She swallowed hard. "Why not?"

"You really want me to list the reasons why it would be a bad idea?"

Maggie shook her head slightly. "I want you to give me a reason – just one – that actually means something. Because if it's because we work together or because of Scott... these things aren't insurmountable. They might be difficult and hard, but they shouldn't keep us apart. So you need to give me another reason. If it's because you don't care about me, fine. But you have to say it because everything I see and feel tells me otherwise."

Eli, breathing heavily, couldn't respond immediately.

"I mean it, Eli," she said fervently. "Tell me why not. Because I think we should try. I think we could be happy together."

He started at her choice of words, an involuntary reaction. But his expression darkened as he focused on what was really happening, not some musical number he'd imagined.

"We can't be together, Maggie. I can't be with you. I won't."

His words were adamant but she frowned at him, growing angry.

"Why can't you just be honest with me?" she demanded.

Eli wanted to explain but he didn't know how to tell her about his test results. He didn't want to burden her with his problems, or guilt her into feeling something she wasn't. Or shouldn't. Either way, he wouldn't do it to her. He shook his head weakly.

"It's back, isn't it?" she said, her voice almost a whisper. "The aneurysm."

"Did you talk to my brother?" he asked, shocked.

"No."

"Then how?"

"You were having visions again. You tried to hide it but I knew."

Eli, stunned that she had guessed what was going on, shrugged in an attempt at levity. "So much for me being a prophet. It was just a life threatening neurological condition all along."

"It doesn't mean that what you see in your visions isn't important. You've proven that before. Maybe that's all a prophet is." She took a few steps towards him to close the distance between them. "I still believe in what you see. I believe in you. And I don't care about the aneurysm."

Caught in her passionate gaze he almost let himself give in. He wanted to believe she was speaking the truth. But then Eli forced himself to remember the decision he'd made that very afternoon.

"Maggie, that's easy to say... but living with this is completely different. I've seen what it does to a person, to a family. I've lived it. And I won't put you through that."

"Can't it be my choice?" she insisted.

"No, because it doesn't just affect you. My father went through the exact same thing I am and it ended up breaking him. It destroyed my mother and ruined his relationship with my brother and me. I hated him, and everything he did to my family." He took hold of her arms, desperate to make her understand. "Do you think I want to hurt you? That I could live with myself if I did? And what if it wasn't just us?"

Maggie's eyes were filled with tears. "Eli, there are so many ifs, there always will be. Aneurysm or not. Prophet or not. I don't care. Don't you see that? I don't care if I get to spend one month or fifty years with you. I don't care about the visions – I know what good you can do and it's because of them. I want to help you with that work. But you have to give us a chance. Please."

Eli was torn between what he wanted with every fiber of his being, and what his head demanded. His hands dropped to his side.

"You shouldn't have broken up with Scott. I don't want you to throw away your relationship because of me."

"I didn't. He left," she said. "And it's been coming for a while now. We both knew it wasn't working. He wants to be in Ohio and I... I want something else. I just had to stop running from it."

"Maggie..."

"I told you," she went on, "if it's because you don't care about me, you're going to have to say it. I'm not going away until you do."

He narrowed his eyes, sizing her up. Her face was a mix of nervousness and steely resolve. He could feel himself surrendering by the second.

"You would have to be the most persistent, aggravating, pig-headed woman I have ever met," he said.

She nodded calmly. "Okay."

Eli's voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't know if I can do this."

"Yes, you can," she said adamantly. "All you have to do is ask me to stay or tell me to go."

Eli took in a deep breath, still staring at her. He stayed silent for what felt like an eternity, thinking of everything he had seen in his visions, and everything he had felt. It was all there, at arm's length. He just had to reach out and take it – to take a leap of faith.

He closed his eyes, silencing the confusion and doubt. When he opened them again Maggie's gaze was fixed on his. Then Eli Stone uttered the single word that would determine his future.

"Stay."

0 0 0 0

They lay in other's arms, talking softly. Maggie was nestled against Eli's side, her hand resting on his chest. She had just placed a kiss there too when she yelped.

"Ow! Did you just pinch me?"

Eli smiled in the warm light cast from the other room. "Just checking you're really here."

She rose up on her elbow. "Oh yeah? We're going to have to work out a code word instead."

"Yeah?" He rolled her on top of him.

"Yes. Or ask me a question that only the real me would know."

"Like what?"

She leaned down and whispered something in his ear that made him blush. She felt the hotness on his cheek as she leisurely kissed his neck.

"I don't think that's how the visions work, but you can say that to me any time."

Eli sought her lips and kissed her again.

"I'll tell you something you can do," she said between kisses.

"Hmm?"

"Feed me. I came here straight from work and I'm starving."

Eli ran his hands up her bare back. "The only thing I can cook are omelets."

"Perfect."

He rolled her gently onto her back and planted a last kiss on her forehead. "Stay right there."

"Wait, I can help," she replied with a laugh, as Eli had already jumped out of bed and pulled on his shorts and a t-shirt. She eyed her suit that was lying rumpled on the floor. "I just need to borrow something to wear."

Eli pulled open his dresser drawer on the way out of the bedroom and hunted for something vaguely suitable. His eyes came to rest on a garment and he smiled.

"Here," he said, tossing her an old Stanford Law t-shirt.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Always rubbing it in."

"And you might want these too."

She caught the pair of paisley boxer shorts he offered her.

"You'll look good in them. Promise."

0 0 0 0

FIN


End file.
